DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Pathologically confirmed renal cell carcinoma

  • Metastatic or unresectable disease
  • Predominant clear cell histology (> 70%)
• Disease progression during or after completion of treatment with a VEGF-receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor (e.g., sunitinib malate and/or sorafenib tosylate)
• Primary tissue (as block or unstained slides) required
• Measurable disease by conventional imaging or clinical examination

• No known CNS disease

  • Previously treated brain metastases allowed provided there is no ongoing requirement for steroids AND no evidence of progression or hemorrhage for ≥ 3 months after treatment, as ascertained by clinical examination and brain MRI or CT scan

    • Stable dose of anticonvulsants allowed
    • Treatment for brain metastases may have included whole brain radiotherapy, radiosurgery (e.g., gamma knife, linear accelerator, or equivalent), or a combination as deemed appropriate by the treating physician
• No symptomatic spinal cord compression

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

• ECOG performance status 0-2
• Hemoglobin ≥ 9.0 g/dL
• Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mm³
• Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm³
• Creatinine ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• Proteinuria ≤ 500 mg by 24-hour urine collection
• AST and ALT ≤ 2.5 times ULN (≤ 5 times ULN if liver function abnormalities are due to underlying malignancy)
• Total bilirubin ≤ 1.5 times ULN
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for ≥ 6 months after the completion of bevacizumab therapy
• No other invasive malignancies within the past 2 years except non-melanoma skin cancer, non-invasive bladder cancer, stage I endometrial cancer, or cervical cancer
• No history of uncontrolled or labile hypertension, defined as blood pressure > 160/90 mm Hg
• No significant traumatic injury within the past 6 weeks

• None of the following conditions within the past 6 months:

  • Myocardial infarction, severe/unstable angina pectoris, or coronary/peripheral artery bypass graft
  • New York Heart Association class III-IV congestive heart failure
  • Cerebrovascular accident, transient ischemic attack, or other thromboembolic event
  • Peripheral neuropathy ≥ grade 2
  • Peptic ulcer disease, erosive esophagitis, or gastritis
  • Infectious or inflammatory bowel disease or diverticulitis
  • History of abdominal fistula, gastrointestinal perforation, or intra-abdominal abscess
  • Significant vascular disease (e.g., aortic aneurysm requiring surgical repair or recent peripheral arterial thrombosis)
• No evidence of clinically significant bleeding diathesis or underlying coagulopathy
• No severe acute or chronic medical or psychiatric condition or significant laboratory abnormality requiring further investigation that, in the judgment of the investigator, may cause undue safety risk, inhibit study participation, or interfere with interpretation of study results
• No serious or non-healing wound, ulcer, or bone fracture
• No known hypersensitivity to Chinese hamster ovary cell products or other recombinant human antibodies

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

• See Disease Characteristics
• Recovered from all prior therapy (alopecia allowed)
• More than 3 months since prior neurosurgical resection or brain biopsy for CNS metastases
• More than 6 weeks since prior and no concurrent major surgical procedure or open biopsy
• More than 2 weeks since prior minor surgery (e.g., port-a-cath placement or dental procedures)
• At least 4 weeks since other prior therapy
• No prior cumulative radiotherapy to > 25% of the total bone marrow
• No prior bevacizumab or ixabepilone
• Prior aldesleukin, interferon, and/or mTOR treatment allowed
• No concurrent antiretroviral therapy for HIV-positive patients
• No concurrent radiotherapy
• No concurrent CYP3A4 inhibitors